David Robert Jones just doesn’t have the same ring to it as David Bowie. Just as he got creative with his stage name, Bowie was even more creative in music, his lyrics, his on-stage presentation, his wardrobe, his love life and, well, just about everything. There just doesn’t seem to be much Bowie did that was ordinary.

Born in Brixton, South London, Bowie developed an interest in music as a child, eventually studying art, music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963. “Space Oddity” became his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart after its release in July 1969.

After a period of experimentation, he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The character was spearheaded by the success of his single “Starman” and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which won him widespread popularity.

In 1975, Bowie’s style shifted radically towards a sound he characterized as “plastic soul”, initially alienating many of his UK devotees but garnering him his first major US crossover success with the number-one single “Fame” and the album Young Americans. In 1976, Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth, directed by Nicolas Roeg, and released Station to Station. The following year, he further confounded musical expectations with the electronic-inflected album Low (1977), the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that came to be known as the “Berlin Trilogy”. “Heroes” (1977) and Lodger (1979) followed; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise.

After little commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single “Ashes to Ashes”, its parent album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), and “Under Pressure”, a 1981 collaboration with Queen. In 1983, the album and single Let’s Dance topped both UK and US charts.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including industrial and jungle. He also continued acting; his roles included Major Jack Celliers in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth (1986), Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006), among other film and television appearances and cameos. He stopped touring after 2004 and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006. In 2013, Bowie returned from a decade-long recording hiatus with a new album, titled, The Next Day. He remained musically active until he died of liver cancer two days after the release of his final album, Blackstar, 2016.

Portions of this profile were attributed to Wikipedia.org’s David Bowie entry.

David Robert Jones just doesn’t have the same ring to it as David Bowie. Just as he got creative with his stage name, Bowie was even more creative in music, his lyrics, his on-stage presentation, his wardrobe, his love life and, well, just about everything. There just doesn’t seem to be much Bowie did that was ordinary.
Born in Brixton, South London, Bowie developed an interest in music as a child, eventually studying art, music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963. &#8220;Space Oddity&#8221; became his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart after its release in July 1969.
After a period of experimentation, he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The character was spearheaded by the success of his single &#8220;Starman&#8221; and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which won him widespread popularity.
In 1975, Bowie&#8217;s style shifted radically towards a sound he characterized as &#8220;plastic soul&#8221;, initially alienating many of his UK devotees but garnering him his first major US crossover success with the number-one single &#8220;Fame&#8221; and the album Young Americans. In 1976, Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth, directed by Nicolas Roeg, and released Station to Station. The following year, he further confounded musical expectations with the electronic-inflected album Low (1977), the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that came to be known as the &#8220;Berlin Trilogy&#8221;. &#8220;Heroes&#8221; (1977) and Lodger (1979) followed; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise.
After little commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single &#8220;Ashes to Ashes&#8221;, its parent album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), and &#8220;Under Pressure&#8221;, a 1981 collaboration with Queen. In 1983, the album and single Let&#8217;s Dance topped both UK and US charts.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including industrial and jungle. He also continued acting; his roles included Major Jack Celliers in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth (1986), Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006), among other film and television appearances and cameos. He stopped touring after 2004 and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006. In 2013, Bowie returned from a decade-long recording hiatus with a new album, titled, The Next Day. He remained musically active until he died of liver cancer two days after the release of his final album, Blackstar, 2016.
Portions of this profile were attributed to Wikipedia.org’s David Bowie entry.

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David Robert Jones just doesn’t have the same ring to it as David Bowie. Just as he got creative with his stage name, Bowie was even more creative in music, his lyrics, his on-stage presentation, his wardrobe,

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